In your kitchen, everything has its proper place. From your pots and pans to your silverware to your major appliances, each item has a special place where it’s available to everyone in the house, even if it’s just out in the open like your stove.
So where in the world do you put your microwave?
The nice thing about microwaves is that they’re easy to move and can be in a wide variety of places, provided there is an outlet nearby. They can be stored away if you don’t use them very often or proudly displayed on your kitchen island.
Here are our best kitchen tips on places to put your microwave.
What to consider
Most of the time, choosing where to place the microwave doesn’t have to be rocket science. It’s mostly about where is most convenient for you. However, different microwaves have varied needs, and you should consider a few things about your microwave before you choose a spot for it.
There are four main aspects to think about before choosing a good spot for a microwave:
- Size: Always measured by the inside cooking chamber, not the outside.
- Power: Opt for highest power available
- Colour: Black and white to stainless steel, there are plenty of possibilities
- Preferred location: Where would you like your microwave best? Not all options will be available
The first three factors will affect how you go about choosing the location. First, consider the size of your microwave. You should be able to customise your cabinetry to fit just about any size, but if you choose a larger microwave, you might end up paying a bit more to adjust your cabinets. You shouldn’t have too many problems with power because most household microwaves don’t go above 700 watts, but if you want something stronger, you could risk damaging your cabinets. A cart might be one of your best options for this.
Colour is perhaps the easiest choice. Stainless steel always looks professional and sleek, but white or black might go better with your kitchen colours. Choose something that will be work for you in the long run.
Now it’s time for our best kitchen tips on the location!
On the bench
Sometimes there’s just no better place for it. A benchtop spot is often one of the preferred spots for a microwave because it’s situated right in the middle of all the cooking action.
If you don’t quite have enough benchtop space, you can always choose an immobile stand or cabinet that is purchased from a furniture store. These are especially helpful for small kitchens in dire need of more cabinet space.
Mounted on the wall
If you’re short on space in your kitchen, take one of our best kitchen tips and move it out of the way. To free up your benchtop space, mount your microwave onto the wall and hang it among the cabinets. Now you have a whole section of benchtop back.
Some homeowners like to hang their microwaves within a cabinet structure, but that’s not always an option. Instead, try hanging your microwave above a different area. This prevents small children from messing around with the buttons and door handles on the microwave.
Under pressure
When there’s no room to go up, sometimes you have to go down and create some space. That’s what builders are doing for microwaves nowadays. In an effort to keep benchtops clear, buildings are leaving shelves free for microwaves to easily fit into.
Homeowners with kitchen islands are taking full advantage of trend. To make the food preparation a little faster, microwaves are installed in islands so when they go off, all you have to do it reach down and take out your food.
Microwave à la carte
If you don’t want to hang your stove and there’s not enough room beneath the benchtop, why not just put the microwave on a cart away from your benchtop?
Homes with limited bench space are taking advantage of kitchen carts and mobile islands. These platforms allow you to move them freely about the kitchen and then tuck them away once you’re finished with them. Not really using your microwave too often? Pack it on the cart and roll it out when needed.
Islands let you work remotely. When you’re trying to prepare a quick dish in the microwave, all you have to do is pull out the island, plug in the microwave and presto! You’re ready to go. You can even use the top of the microwave to stir the contents.
Put it away now
Some families can’t live without a microwave. Others hardly touch theirs. If your family is moving further and further away from microwave usage, it might be better to store the microwave in the pantry where it won’t take up so much space. It’s probably not a good idea to get rid of it because you never know when you might need it.
Clear away the bottom shelf of your pantry and give your microwave a spot. This will make it easy to access for adults as well as kids. Anyone can pull it back out, plug it in and get cooking within minutes, and the microwave won’t take up so much space.
When it all comes down to it, the main goal of these kitchen tips is to situate your microwave in a place that makes sense for your needs and for your house. A mounted microwave might not make sense if you have too many cabinets, or maybe there’s a perfect spot under your island. Remember to consider those four points before choosing a spot, and always keep an open mind.
